Vietnamese Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Tuesday received Japanese Ambassador to Việt Nam Ito Naoki, calling on Japan to support Việt Nam in ensuring energy security amid disruptions to global oil supply chains caused by tensions in the Middle East.
PM Chính suggested Japan consider providing Việt Nam with some crude oil from its reserves or allow the Nghi Sơn Refinery to diversify its sources of crude oil supply from other partners. He also proposed facilitating Việt Nam’s access, through appropriate forms, to part of the 80 million barrels of oil that Japan is considering releasing from its reserves to mitigate the impact of Middle East tensions on fuel prices.
The PM also pointed out difficulties in aviation fuel supply and called on Japan, in the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, to create conditions for Việt Nam to purchase aviation fuel from its reserves.
Ambassador Ito said Japan has already decided to release oil reserves and is encouraging other G7 countries to take similar measures to increase global fuel supply. He noted that Japan is actively considering measures to diversify crude oil sources, restructure the Nghi Sơn Refinery, and accelerate the Block B – Ô Môn gas project.
